How to Keep Steam Showers Free of Mold

Clean your steam shower every few days to prevent mold growth.

A steam shower is an attractive selling point when putting your house on the market, but dreams of a warm steam bath will evaporate quickly if potential buyers notice mold throughout the shower enclosure. The high humidity associated with steam showers provides a perfect environment for mold to grow. To counter this, run your bathroom's exhaust fan during and after your shower, and keep the shower door or curtain open when you're done to provide ventilation. Also, routinely wash your shower fixtures, tile and grout with a vinegar solution to kill mold before it has a chance to grow and spread.

1

Remove the steam shower fixtures, such as the shower head and any water nozzles, with a wrench and/or screwdriver. Put on rubber gloves.

2

Submerge the fixtures in a bucket containing equal parts white distilled vinegar and water. Allow the fixtures to sit in the solution for 30 minutes. The vinegar will remove lime deposits and kill any mold.

3

Rinse the fixtures with clean water to remove any vinegar residue. Dry the fixtures with a towel and reattach.

4

Put on the rubber gloves if you took them off prior to reattaching the fixtures. Fill a spray bottle with white distilled vinegar.

5

Spray all the tiles and grout in the shower enclosure with the vinegar. Work in sections. Spray the vinegar on the wall and wipe with a sponge. For caked-on dirt, scrub with a brush. The vinegar will keep the tile and grout germ-free and help inhibit mold growth.

6

Rinse the tile and grout with water to remove the vinegar residue. Spray water with the shower hose or wipe down with a wet sponge.

7

Clean the shower door and the track in which the door slides with the vinegar. Rinse off the vinegar residue with clean water either by spraying with the shower hose or wiping with a wet sponge.

8

Clean the steam shower in this manner at least twice a month. Spot clean dirty surfaces after two to three showers. Wash the shower curtain, if applicable, twice a month.

Things You Will Need

Wrench

Screwdriver

Bucket

Rubber gloves

White distilled vinegar

Towel

Spray bottle

Sponges

Scrub brush

Tips

If mold is present, fill a spray bottle with one part bleach to 10 parts water and spray the affected areas. Allow the bleach to sit for five minutes before rinsing with clean water. Repeat if necessary.

Use a step ladder to clean hard-to-reach areas.

Fill minor cracks in the grout with a mildew-resistant silicone caulk. Call a professional grout cleaner and installer to re-grout large areas.

Clean your bathroom's exhaust fan twice a year with soap and water. Remove the cover, vacuum or wipe away the dust, and wash the blades.

Run a dehumidifier in your home to keep humidity levels below 50 percent and restrict mold growth.

Warnings

Consult with mold-removal specialists if mold growth is rampant. You might have a leak somewhere or extensive mold growth behind the walls of your shower.

Do not allow bleach to mix with vinegar or other cleaning agents, especially products containing ammonia. Toxic fumes will be created.

About the Author

Jennifer Pinto has been an editor and reporter since 1999, working with newspapers in the Midwest and on the East Coast. She serves as a contributor for several print and online publications, covering business, real estate, religion, home improvement and interior design. Pinto earned her B.A. in English and psychology at Northern Illinois University.